Pabst Theater Group’s Post

PACTcon starts tomorrow in Montreal. Meanwhile the open letter led by Labour in the Arts has gained over 400 signatures from arts workers across Turtle Island. Visit LIA Instagram below to read the non-response from Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT).  There is a giant gulf between priorities of the artists and workers in our sector versus its leaders. While PACT may not want to do any of the things requested, their response is wholly tepid and uncreative, doing nothing to lessen the divide. Why not, at a minimum, invite LIA for a facilitated conversation?  Instead the conference will carry on, business as usual, while the world does not. If you are attending this year's conference, I am imploring you to keep this letter in the front of your mind whether you agree with it or not. Attend the one session that hints at this letter, being about "divisive issues," and speak up.  We valorize our art form as being subversive and yet the majority of it couldn't be less so. Ignoring the voices of workers will only lead to more alienation and flight from the industry leaving only the privileged to keep making meaningless entertainment. https://lnkd.in/giQteY5V

All areas of the creative industry provide means for economic growth, regeneration, they are the future of our city centres landscape, culture, tourism, business growth, communication and should be supported. Theatre / Dance / Music / Festivals / Live Events - Dates beyond the Shakesphere era provides fantastic insight into our history, culture and drives creativity, growth and spend within city centres. Vera Lynn’s music empowered soliders during WW2. Radio, Press and TV - Plays an integral role in our democracy reporting on major news stories holding those in power to account, weather which influences consumer spend and support’s communities on travel issues, ads on air which boost businesses and provide strong ROI. Social & Online - Keeps people connected and drives conversation, communication and enables SME’s to have a voice with small budgets. Provides vital services, access to food, meds, clothing via online e-commerce sites now. Out of Home / Sponsorships - provides jobs in technology, supports and enhances city centres, provides local authorities with incremental investment and income through land acquisition and partnerships to use for other public services. Art - supports with creativity in individuals, mental health, well-being, reigniting and embracing public spaces bringing together minority communities. Art helps those most vulnerable impacted by war and conflict get through the darkest of days. The creative industries are an essential part of our communities and should be recognised as such, the creative industries were almost destroyed by the impact of government policy and regulation during Covid-19. It’s no longer a matter of “nice to have” it’s a must, it’s an essential service and we must continue to embrace and support the ever changing landscape that is our incredible creative industries community. 👇🫶

Reflecting on my journey with La Crosse Community Theatre's expansion into the old church building, the question "What did I get myself into?" feels particularly relevant. I’ve embarked on something both exciting and daunting. This historic space is full of potential, but realizing it will take more than just optimism and a fresh coat of paint. When we chose this church, it felt like a perfect blend of La Crosse’s history and our theatre’s future. The building has charm and character, but it’s also full of quirks—architectural features that weren’t designed with modern theatre in mind. As I settle in, I’m beginning to grasp the challenges ahead. Walking through these halls, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of what’s ahead. The building is full of potential—to become a hub for creativity and a gathering place for our community. But right now, it’s all just potential. The real work is just beginning. We have big plans, but they’re still just plans—ideas waiting to be transformed into reality. From designing new spaces to ensuring this historic building meets modern needs, there’s a lot to do. It’s a little overwhelming, but also exciting, knowing we're on the brink of something transformative for La Crosse Community Theatre. The road ahead will be challenging, with moments of doubt and unexpected surprises. But that’s part of the journey—navigating the unknown, adapting to challenges, and staying focused on my goals. This project will take time, effort, and collaboration. I’ll need to test ideas and learn as I go, but I’m committed to seeing it through because I believe in the potential of this space. So here I am, at the beginning of a long and winding journey. I don’t know exactly what the future holds, but I’m confident this is a journey worth taking. There’s a lot of work to be done, but also a lot to look forward to. This building has the potential to become something truly special, and I’m ready to do the work to make that happen. In the end, what did I get myself into? A project full of challenges and possibilities—one that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve only just begun, but I’m excited to see where this journey will take me.

"The story is a familiar one: a city of a certain size decides it wants to increase the cultural offerings available for its residents. The city’s appointed leaders, or perhaps its unappointed ones—the businessmen or philanthropically-minded independently wealthy—look at a neighboring city, the flow of people and money into and out of the beautiful new theater located there, and decide they should build one too. Capital is raised, land is acquired, and up goes a towering cultural institution, featuring the finest in touring performers and appealing to the patricians and the bourgeoisie. “For tens of thousands of urban theatergoers these local playhouses would become their most immediate—and for some their only—point of reference for experiencing French theater” (Clay 770). In the mid to late 1700s, France experienced just such a theater-building explosion. By the end of the century, over seventy French cities “had inaugurated at least one new playhouse” (738). Traveling shows flowed from one end of the country to the other (767). The new merchant middle class could enjoy the cultural cachet of attending the theater: “provincial audiences, too, could imagine that they were part of a national cultural community” (769). In America, a similar scene started in the last half of the 1900s and continues today. Small and medium cities across the country have witnessed the cultural capital and economic wealth generated by building a large-scale performing arts center (PAC),..." This is still--ten years later--one of my favorite things I've ever written. While I disproved my thesis statement, I was actually really proud to talk about how small arts organizations build the audience for the large scale performing arts center to come into a community. Power of the small!

Big question: What’s the best on sale / launch methods in regional theatre? 🎭 - Get everything on sale asap as far in advance as possible - Announcement, Members then General - Season launches and hold everything off until that moment Would love to hear more and know more from both venues and touring companies. It will all depend on location and genre but it would be good to know of success and failure stories Season launches at venues like Hereford and Bury St Edmunds have always worked brilliantly with their traditional and trained audiences… constantly worrying if your show is close to or a long way from the launch, or in a more modern genre! But can this be used elsewhere? Does it take years to cultivate? Do our audience want to know a year in advance if a show is coming? Do they want an other email every week about new shows?

Heads-up: look out for this new feature now LIVE on Boost! 😱 Enhance your customers' movie-going experience the moment they buy a ticket by helping them find their way to your theater without any hassle! Confirmation emails to your Boost Ticketing customers can now: • Contain a set of simple directions • A button to open a map that provides precise route planning to your theater! 🗺️ Will you be using this feature? Let us know down below! Michelle Villegas Ernie Mekhail Kathy Vlesmas Laura McNally Pamela Mireles Mhairi Granger

You’re hosting your first large scale ticketed event. It’s only natural to worry how successful sales will be! In one sense you don’t want to risk investing in a larger venue, then on the other hand you don’t want to max out capacity & limit your audience What to do? Move forward with a space which enables you to play around with layouts & breakouts. This will give you the flexibility to move goal posts Start with cabaret in mind - maxed out in cabaret for your conference? No problem, switch to theatre style….maxing out at theatre? Amazing congrats! You’re gonna need a bigger venue next year 😉 #corporateevents #venuefinding

There is no one-size-fits-all design to accommodate all the world’s staging needs. From theaters and banquet halls to educational facilities and arenas -- every venue, every group and every production has its own set of criteria and needs. Stability and strength are critical, but portability and user-friendly convenience are also essential. Here are four trends that bring increased flexibility and functionality to the performing arts arena: https://lnkd.in/g_q-qkiP

Are less elaborate shows and fewer productions/exhibitions the new normal? • "Summer theater: Trying to make more out of less”: It’s been five years since audiences for summer theater have had as much available to them as they do this season, but an overview of the schedules for six companies in the Capital Region and Berkshires shows an overall trend toward fewer productions and smaller casts. https://lnkd.in/eTuFXm_h • “Live Performance Theatre Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecast”: Shows with elaborate productions have been shown to be less and less profitable for producers. Consumer preferences have favored shows with simple sets and powerful stories instead of over-the-top, costly shows, leaving many expensive productions unable to recoup. https://lnkd.in/eUVPqz9R • “Welcome to the slow museum, where less is more”: While the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a culture-wide reckoning with the frantic pace of contemporary life, some museums began to pull their foot off the gas even before the world went into lockdown. https://lnkd.in/enqgV3SV #SweibelArts #Trendwatching #LessIsMore

Out next week and well worth a read!! #magazines #york #ryedale #malton #independentmagazines #supportlocal #businesses #locallife #whatson #communitymagazines